Storage-battery connector



C. W. HAZELETT.

STORAGE BATTERY CONNECTOR..

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 30, 1916.

Patented May 13, 1919.

'B [N W1 AZELE' N J UNI ED srAT s PATENT orrrcn.

oLAJan on w. HAzELnrr, or LAKEWOOD, omanssreNon, :BYIMESNE AssIeNMENTs,

'ro NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, IN(:., A CORPORATION or NEW-YORK.

STORAGE-BATTERY CONNECTOR.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1919.

Application filed October so, 1916. Serial No. 128,381.

i is. a full, clear, and exact description.

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This invention relates to storage battery connectors. As is well known, a portable battery consists of a plurality of storage cells with the terminals properly joined to gether and the whole contained in a box of wood or other material. It has been the almost universal practice to connect the terminal of one cell to the terminal of the adjacent cell by means of a hard lead strapwhich has been burned to the post'straps of the cells. This makes a very permanent connection and prevents the connector being taken off by the owner of the battery who is usually unskilled and incompetent to replace the connectors after removal.

A burned-on connection, however, has disadvantages chief among which is the in ability of the repair man to remove the connection without first applying the torch to melt the lead. The object of my invention is to produce a detachable connection that does not have this disadvantage.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view' of a plate assembly having the connector parts in position to be secured together.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the platepost with the connector applied. 7

Fig.3 is a view of the bottom portion of the tool adapted to place theconnector in position as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view of the connection ready to be removed by an appropriate tool when it is necessary to remove the same for any reason. I

Figs. 5 and 6 are modified forms.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the

cell connector 1 may be of any form, but I have shown a usual construction which consists of a hard lead strap having perforated lugs 2 on each end adapted to fit over a plate post 3 of the cells (only one plate post being shown). Instead of burning this connection on the plate post as is usual, I cut or mold on the post threads of coarse pitch and form the transverse hole 4: in the connector, of sufficient size and shape to readily .slip over this plate post and permit the attaching of hard lead nut 5.

To assemble the connection the operator w1ll place one lug 2 over the plate post and then thread the nut 5 down onto it until it binds the connector tightly against the shoulder 6 of the post. As will be seen by the drawings, the hole through the strap 1 of the connector has a conical shaped portion at the lower end adapted to fit a similarly shaped conical portion \ofthe nut 5. The connector is thus wedged tightly against the shoulder when the nut is screwed home.

To apply-the nut ll prefer to use a special tool 7 shownin Figs. 2 and 3. This tool is preferably slightly cupped on the bottom surface and has radial ridges to bite into the lead nut 5 to rotate it when the toolis revolved by any convenient means such as an ordinary brace. When the nut has clamped the connector 1 tightly against the shoulder 6 of the plate post, the ridges 8 of the tool shear off the small projecting portion of the nut and a part of the top of lug 2, and thereby produce a smooth surface entirely obliterating all appearances of the nut. In fact, when the nut is screwed home in the way specified the connection has all the appearance of having been burned on and polished up to a bright surface.

The user of the battery will not be able to comprehend how the connection can bev removed and furthermore could not remove it without some sort of a special tool if the mode of removal we're clear. Storage bat tery repair men, however, will be furnished by the manufacturer, with instructions with respect to the removal of the connection and with tools for accomplishing the same.

An appropriate tool for removing the connection is shown in Fig. 4:. This consists of a bit, or wrench, 9, having circular lugs 10 adapted to fit into holes lldrilled into the nut, whenever it is desired to take-off the connector. The nut 5 can be readily unscrewed by rotating'the tool 9 which may be secured in a carpenters brace for this purpose.

Various other tools may be used for removing the lead nut, such as a screw driver with wide bit, but the scope of this specification obviously will not permit a description of all possible arrangements.

In Fig. 5 a lead nut 12 has a brass or other screw 13 cast therein. This nut threads in the plate post and clamps the strap 1 against the shoulder of the post.

In Fig. 6 the lead nut has a flange portion 14 overhanging the lug or eye 2. The action of the nut in this case is identical with those already described.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In storage batteries, a plate post member, a connector having a transverse hole of f reduced diameter in the middle portion, a clamping member adapted to fit in the upper portion of .said hole, with its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the connector, and a screw having its head cast in one of said members, the other of said members having a threaded portion adapted to fit with the screw to clamp the connector on said post member.

2. In storage batteries, a plate post n1em ber, a connector having a transverse hole of hour glass shape, a conical clamping member adapted to fit in the upper portion of said hole, with its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the connector, and a screw having its head cast in one of said screw to clamp the connector on said post member.

3. In storage batteries, a plate post member, a connector having a transverse hole, a clamping member adapted to fit in the hole with its upper surface flush with the upper surface of the connector and a screw on one of said members having a threaded portion adapted to cooperate with the screw to clamp the connector on the post member.

4. In storage batteries, a plate-post having threads and a shoulder thereon, a connector having a tapered hole of larger dipost, a lead cap adapted to screw down on said postinside the said tapered hole and clamp the connector tightly against said shoulder.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

C. W. HAZELETT.

'ameter than the threaded portion of the 

